Vehicle actuated gate



Feb 12, l952 1 G. MARTIN VEHICLE ACTUATED GATE 2 SI-{EETS-SFEET l FiledJune 13, 1946 Feb' 12, 1952 L. G. MARTIN VEHICLE CTUATED GATE 2SI-{EETS-SFEET 2 Filed June l5, 1946 Inventor Zou z's ./Wa-zzz'z @zw amPatented Feb. 12, 1952 -UNITED STATES PATENT I-OlflflClZ v .2,585,421VEHICLE ACTUATIED GATE Louis G. Martin, sannntouio, rex. ApplicationJune 1s, 194s, serial No. 676,467

(ci. seasn 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements .in gates.

An object of the .invention is 'to provide an improved gateconstructionwhich Will .include a latch release mechanism adapted to beengaged by the bumper ci an automobile for unlatching the gate 'andopening the .same so that the automobile may pass therethrough withoutthe driver having Yto get out to manually unlatch and open the gate.

Another object of the invention .is to provide an improved self-closinggate construction which maybe unlatched and opened when a latch releasemechanism is engaged by the bumper lof van automobile, or said latch maybe manually re` leased by a-pedestrian by operating a hand releaseoperator.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved horizontalswinging gate for use especially on ranches and farms, said gate havingreleasing means either manually operable or adapted to be operated bythe bumper of an automobile, together With means for automaticallyclosing said gate after the same has been passed through. Y

Another object lof the invention is to provide an improved gate withreleasing and opening means adapted to be engaged by the bumper of anautomobile, together with means for cushioning the back swing of thegate when swung open too hard, and means for either holding the gate inopen position or for automatically closing the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gateconstruction which will be highly efficient in operation and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

vIn the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application:

Figurel is a sideelevation of the improved gate shown in positionbetween two gate posts;

Figure-2 isa partial sectional view taken on the line 2'-2=of Figure 1;

Figure .3;:is an enlarged perspective view of the plvoted bumperengaging latch release operator with the cover removed;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Figlire 1;

f Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-45 of Fig- Figure 6 is anenlarged end view looking into the roller and cam latch releasingmechanism;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the outer tubular hinge member adaptedto be supported upon a gate post; Y

`Figure 8 1s a perspective view ofthe inner tubular hinge member forsecuring to and supporting the gate, and

`Figure 9 is a detail view in perspective of the inner andupper corner'ofl the gate trameshOW ing 'the gate 'closure roller .in positionthereon.

Like "characters of reference :are used throughout the followingspecifjiication and the accomf pany-ing drawings Vto designatel':orre'sp'ending parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is vprovided a gate constructionincluding the spaced gate posts II and f2, and agate :trame generally`denoted by the reference numeral 3 having a cross rail or pipe 4 'andbeing nlled :in by the wire mesh 5. The lower central portion of thegate frame 3 will be apertured as at 6, for purposes hereinafter described.

A bumper latch release roperator 1 of substantially triangular skeleton,lever form, Hand covered with a sheet metal cover or casing v8 is xed atone end thereof to a vertical rock shaft 1S pivotally mounted in thecross rail or pipe 4 and the lower 'rail of the gate frai'ne 3 to extendthrough the openingY E 'at one side thereof and support said operator 1in said opening '6 for horizontal swinging movement in 4oppositedirections from an intermediate position through engagement therewith ofthe bumper of an automobile, not shown, approaching opposite sides ofsaid gate. As will be clear, swinging of said frame 1 in oppositedirections will rock said lshaft 9 in opposite directional Y l Y Y Aforked Vcam In forming srv-notch In' is nxed at one end to the upper endof the shaft 9 and eX- tends vhorizontally in spaced relation above thecross pipe or rail 4 of the gate 3, 'the notch I0 of the cam openingtowards the hinged end of the gate and said beingy swingable in oppositedirections by rocking of said rock vshaft 9 in opposite directions. l n

An alignment rack II having an. adjusting set screw I2 is secured to andextends above the pipe or rail 4 and isadapted to receive the guide rodi4 which extends through the horizontal opening Il formed in said rackand continues toward the free end of the gate, to extend through theapertured rod guide I5 secured by the bolt kI to the pipe or rail 4 atthe opposite side of the cam I0.

. A roller I1 is supported by theguiderod I4 below thesame andisfstraddle'd by the V-notch Ill of said cam IU to be engaged byopposite sides of said notch I0' and be -cammed by opposite sides ofsaid notch I0' to retract the rod I4 longitudinally of the gate when thelatch releasing operator 'I 'is swung oppositely by an automobilebumper. Retraoton :of Said rod I4 retracts a spring tenslnedlatch bar26, bymeanspresently described, to' unlatch saidv gate. Stops I8 will beformed on the cam arm to limit the movementA thereof. as bestillustrated in Figure 6 of the 3 drawings. The set screw l2 provides fortaking up wear on said rod 14.

A second apertured rod guide l is secured to the pipe or rail d andsupports the forward end of the rod Irl which supports' a yoke'or clevis20 on its extreme forward end; A heavytensicn spring 2l is mounted aboutthe rod id adjacent the guide i9 and is variably tensioned by means ofthe washer 22 and the adjusting nut 2ten said rod lll to variablytension said rod I4.

The link 2li is pivoted betweenithe yoke or clevis E0 and is in turn,formed with the yoke or clevis 25 on its opposite end. 'The' gate latchbar 29 extends through the U-shaped guide mem- 'A ber 2 and through anaperture in the outer end frame member or pipe of the gate 3 to bereceived in the ,socket o f a vertically positioned latch keeper 2Ssecured to the gate post 2 by meansof the bolts 29. The inner end of thelatchbar` 29 will be connected between the yoke or clevis 25 by the pinand a weaker coil tensioning spring 3! will be positioned over the bar26 and adjustably tensioned by the adjusting collar 32.

c; VThe transverselyegtending pin 33 will be suitably secured to thelatch Vbar 29, preferably by welding, and will 'cooperate with' therotatable hand operator member 3G supported between the upper bar orpipe of the gate frame 3 andthe upper surface of the guide member 2l.One or more depending pins 35 will be secured to the lower portion ofthe member 34 and will engage the pin 33- on-the A,latch bar; 20 `to:retract-the same from its keeper 28 when the hand operator member 3d isrotated.-

Thus, it will be seen that the gate may be unlatched and pushed`voperiby thebumper of an automobile engaging the bumper latch releaseoperator l, or by manually rotating the `hand operator member 3d.' fyThe hinge for the gate 3 comprises a Vertical tubular housing 30havingattaching bolts 3l extending outwardlyI therefrom for extendingthrough the vgatepost Lto-be held in position thereto by thenutsili.`The ,upper end ofthe housing 3E will be cuto at an angle as at 39 toform a cam surface, and Awill bel furtherprovided with the opposednotches Lflwhose purpose will be hereinafter described,.,

"An inner rtubular, hinge. member il ,will` be snugly receivedin thehousing Stand will extend above 'andbelow thesame, and will beprovidedwithjthe supporting bolts, 4 2 for extending through thehingedend of the gate'3.

A rollend?, will be mounted on the upper end of the,,adjacentY eindf'ofthe gate 3," and will be adapted to engagethe cam `surface 39 "and toroll up the inclined cam surface when the gate 'is open, thus liftingthe"'gate and the inner hinge member il above and offits normal seat inthe housing dii. The weight 'of the 'gate will cause theV roller lit' toroll down its inclined carn sur- 'face to cause-the same't'oautomatically close, after the gate has reached its open position. 1f itis desired' to "hold 'the gate open, `it willbe opened unf-,irthe'ruer'ezseats -in either of the 'notches'lilhY thus retaining thesame inopen position until the roller is again started ydown itsinclined cam' surface, which will automatically lclose the gate. j-

A spring shock absorbing member Mis secured about the upper endofthegate post l, kand is formed with the dependingv armsl l and-5 5 whichwill be engaged by, the upper rail or pipe ofthe gate 3 should the samebe opened too far or too violently, thereby cushioning the shock on saidpost.

While thepreferred embodiment of the instant invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intendedto limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes indetail of construction may be resorted to without departure from thespirit of the invention.

' Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

f 1..'In a horizontally swingable gate, springloaded latch means forholding the gate closed including a horizontal rod 'mounted on said gateand endwise movable for retraction to unlatch the gate, a vertical rockshaft journaled .in said gate for rocking in opposite directions, alever member fast on said shaft and projecting radially therefrom forswinging laterally in opposite directions from an intermediate positionby impact of an automobile bumper against opposite sides of said memberwhereby to rock said. shaft, and means for retracting said rod byrocking of said shaft in opposite directions, comprising a horizontalforked cam forming a V-notch and fast on one end of said shaft, and aroller fast on said rod and straddled by said notch for camming byopposite vsides of said notch upon swinging of said member in oppositedirections.

2. In a horizontally swingable gate. latch means for holding the gateclosed including a horizontal rod mounted on said gate and end'- wisemovable for retraction to unlatch the gate, a vertical rook shaftjournaled` in said gate for rocking in opposite directions, a levermember fast on said shaft and projecting radially therefrom for swinginglaterally in opposite directions .from an intermediate position byimpact .of an automobile bumper against opposite sides cfsaid memberwhereby to rock said shaft.r and .means for retracting said rod byrocking of. said shaft in opposite directions comprising a horizontalforked cam forming a V-notch and fast on one end of said shaft, and aroller fast on said rod and straddled by said notch for camming byopposite sides of said notches upon swinging of .said member inoppositedirections, Ysaid rod, being spring-tensionedto hold said rollerinthe bottom of said notch for yieldingly maintaining cam.

rod and said member in an intermediate normal-position for operation ofsaid member from either side of the gate when the gate is closed, andmeans for causing the gate to normally swing closed. l' l LOUIS G.MARTIN.

REFERENCES crrnn- The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number ,Name Date 1,140,216 Troutman May 18, 19151,609,369 Laird Dec. 7, 1926 1,798,699 Ralston Mar. 31, 1931 2,076,092,Pinard Apr. 6, 1937 2,118,722 Bock May 24, 1938

